Committee green lights appropriationsThe Russellville Finance Committee approved an update to its general fund as well as several appropriations at its December meeting on Tuesday. The police training fund received $11,520 for a firing range shelter; the Oakland Cemetery received $4,500 for improvements; $4,223.59 was appropriated to capital improvement; $120,231.51 was stipended to several different departments for salary, pension and payroll taxes; $17.529.44 was appropriated t...

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BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Fourth annual Shop With a Cadet a successStudents enrolled in the criminal justice program at the Arkansas Tech Career Center (ATCC) participated in the fourth annual Shop with a Cadet program Tuesday. The students raised a total of $2,016.50 giving ten area children the opportunity to purchase approximately $200 in Christmas gifts for themselves as well as their family members. Each child was partnered with a criminal justice student as well as a local police officer. At the conclus...

Updated light fixtures, begins downtownAbout a year ago, Public Works tried to arrange for updated lighting in downtown Russellville, but was forced to go back to the drawing board after Director Kurt Jones realized the organization didn't have the grant money to cover the project. After negotiations with Entergy, though, updated lighting has become a reality with a pilot, LED lighting program. LED, short for light emitting diode, is an alternative light source to the normal haloge...

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BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Coffee and Code at Two RiversThis week is being recognized as National Hour of Code week in schools across America. In schools throughout Arkansas, students participated in Hour of Code activities to celebrate the week and stimulate interest in Computer Science courses and coding skills. At Two Rivers, students hosted a demonstration on Wednesday of Storytelling with Code for administrators, media specialists, counselors, staff and guests. The event was called Coffee and ...

Man jailed for shouting at vehiclesLeon R. Southwick, 51, shouted "Purgery!" after District Judge Don Bourne described a police report which stated Southwick was found with a glass smoking device and a white powdered substance. Southwick was arrested at 11:23 a.m. on Monday after Russellville police responded in reference to a white male walking in the roadway in the area of North Arkansas Avenue and East O Street. When the arresting officer arrived, Southwick was allegedly wal...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Police give tips for safe holidayWith the holiday season here, there are several to-do items on most lists, one of which should include being mindful of safety according to local police departments. Atkins Police Chief Stephen Pack said when people are shopping, particularly during the holiday season they should park in well-lit areas and never leave a vehicle unoccupied while it’s running. Pack also said packages, purses and valuables should be left in plain sight and people...

'57 New Store Santa back downtownIn the window display of The Old Bank Sports Grill in Russellville, a mechanical Santa Claus from the 1950’s can be found through the holidays. Billy Newton, the newest owner of the Santa Clause, said this particular Santa is the same one many long-term residents of Russellville may remember from the window display of the New Store, a department store in downtown Russellville that was open from 1895-1977. Van Andy Moore, the original owner of ...

RHS Cyclone band concert is MondayThe Russellville High School Cyclone Bands' Annual Christmas Concert will be performed at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, at Russellville's The Center for The Arts. The Symphonic Band and the Concert Band will be performing traditional Christmas songs. The Symphonic Band will also have trombonist Sergeant Major Jerry Amoury from The U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own" as guest soloist with the band. The concert will conclude with the combining of both...

Johnson Co. kidnapping investigatedDardanelle Police Chief Montie Sims reported in a press release the Dardanelle Police Department is looking into the kidnapping of two Pope County men. According to the release, the department was notified by one of the men that Sunday, Dec. 4, himself and another male entered an aparmtent within city limits to purchase drugs. The male stated the deal went bad, and himself and the other male were held hostage through the night and into the nex...

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BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Second Floating Christmas Parade SaturdayOn Saturday, locals are invited to join The Journey church at Lake Dardanelle State Park for the second annual Floating Christmas Parade. Festivities are set to begin at 4 p.m. at the weigh station. This year's feature will include the boat parade, hot chocolate and a performance by local band The Beards and the Bees. Admission is free, but proceeds collected from boat registration fees and donation stations around the park will be forwarded t...

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BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Future topper signed, assembledHelmets on and white pens in hand, Russellville firefighters made their way to the construction site of future Central Station, just behind the 500 Building on West Main Street, to ceremoniously sign the one of highest beams before its installation. Mayor Randy Horton and Fire Marshall Richard Setian, along with firefighters from the working shift, watched as a construction crew continued assembling the frame of the drivethrough bays before si...

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BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pope 2017 budget approvedThe Pope County Quorum Court voted 11-0 in favor of an ordinance that established the 2017 operating budget during its final meeting of 2016 Tuesday night. The budget includes estimated expenses of $22,829,917.39 and estimated funds available for appropriation, or anticipated revenue, totaling $28,094,145. Expenses for the general fund are estimated at $9,440,373.55, with estimated funds available for appropriation totaling $10,021,169. Some o...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Police: Man threatened to kill infantJonathan M. Perks, 42, was arrested on Monday after allegedly threatening to kill a woman and a baby. According to a report provided by the Russellville Police Department, Perks allegedly threatened a woman and another male with kitchen knives and threw one into the bedroom door. The victim told police Perks also threatened to kill a baby that was on scene. While on scene, the officer noted that he overheard Perks talking to his mother on the ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pottsville city talks zoning for schoolPOTTSVILLE — Pottsville City Councilman Donnie Elliott addressed the city council during their monthly meeting on Nov. 28 about an issue the Planning and Zoning Commission wanted the council’s advice on. Elliott explained to the council that the Pottsville School District had multiple buildings zoned differently. “The elementary and administrative building for the school on State Highway 247 is zoned as R-2 (Medium Density Residential), the hi...

$2.6 million for Weir Road plans approvedIn a special meeting last week, four Russellville city council members and Mayor Randy Horton approved the final design for Weir Road improvements, and gave the go-ahead for bids on sewer and water contractors to open. Freddie Harris, Bill Eaton, Eric Westcott, Robert Wiley and Horton voted yes to the amended proposal, which is estimated to cost $2.6 million, a significant decrease from engineering firm Garver's initial estimate of $3.25 milli...

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BY SIERRA MURPHY
murphy@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Christmas WishTo adopt a Christmas Wish family, contact the Main Street Mission at 479-968-8303 between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Main Street Mission will provide you with the family's wish list. Families that are still available are: u CW 5. One income family with 4 children. 3 girls, 9, 7, 6 and 1 boy, 6 u CW 11. Once income family with 3 children. 2 girls, 12 and 10 and 1 boy, 5 u CW 12. One income family with 3 children. 1 girl, 12...

Police investigate Dollar General robberyDARDANELLE â€" Dardanelle police are investigating an alleged armed robbery Friday at the Dollar General Store at State Highway 22 and Rock Street. Earlier that day, Dardanelle and Yell County law enforcement agencies responded to an attempted armed robbery at River Town Bank on Union Street. According to information from the Dardanelle Police Department, two Dollar General store employees told police moments before the store was to close Frid...

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BY SEAN INGRAM
sean@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Kids who lived through Pearl Harbor rememberHONOLULU -- In some ways, it could be any class photo from the 1940s. The sepia-toned image shows 30 fifth-graders -- 26 girls and four boys -- at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Waikiki. Most are smiling, some look stern. A few have no shoes. Yet this picture is different in one striking way: Each child is holding a bag containing a gas mask, a sign of how war had suddenly broke apart the routines of their adolescence on Dec. 7, 1941. T...